A Historic Sake Brewery has been Reopened in Akita

Thanks to the work of the architectural firm Sugawaradaisuke, a sake brewery in the prefecture of Akita has found a new lease of life. The space has been entirely renovated in order to become a place where tourists and locals can discover more about the local drink. It is located in one of the most distinguished regions for sake production, Akita is known for having a more pronounced-flavoured sake than the rest of the country due to the heavy snowfall on the rice fields throughout the winter. However the Hikobe brewery had only undergone minor changes since its construction in 1688 and thus had fallen into disrepair.

The architects have retained the original façade of the establishment, while modifying the interior in order to connect the different spaces. The site, open since May 2018, has since become used for numerous events; other than its historic feature, it is also home to a small bar-cum-café, a shop and a tasting room, perfect for warming up before heading out to visit some of the other dozen breweries in the area!